The 1933 Datsun Phaeton was one of the first cars that the Nissan Motor Company ever produced, and was named with the initials of the three original investors in the Kwaishinsha Co. (D, A, and T), according to Nissan.(Credit: Nissan )

Nissan cars from Datsun to the GTR

July 25, 2013 2:41 PM

In 1911, Japanese entrepreneur Masujiro Hashimoto founded the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works, the company responsible for building the first Datsun vehicle. Throughout several mergers and buyouts, the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works would continue to design automobiles into the 1930s, until the company was finally purchased by Nissan. In 1934, the company name was officially changed to the Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Smaller passenger cars continued to be made under the Datsun name, while larger vehicles took on the Nissan moniker until 1981, when the company discontinued the Datsun name. Here is a gallery of some of the most notable Nissan and Datsun vehicles throughout the company's history.